James M. Cavanagh

Jim represents middle-market private equity funds, their portfolio companies, and other strategic acquirers in complex transactional matters. He advises clients on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, divestitures, carve-outs, minority investments, debt and equity offerings, and restructurings, and also serves as outside general corporate counsel.

Private equity sponsors rely on Jim throughout the investment lifecycle — from platform acquisitions and add-on transactions to recapitalizations and exits. He works across the middle-market spectrum, representing emerging funds pursuing initial platforms as well as established sponsors executing buy-and-build strategies.

Jim regularly handles transactions in sectors including IT and managed services and other tech-enabled businesses. His cross-industry experience makes him a versatile deal lawyer who adapts quickly to new subsectors while bringing practical insights and market perspective from prior transactions.

• Assisted in advising The Halifax Group in the sale of its majority stake in Southern Exteriors, a full-service installer of exterior building solutions tailored primarily for single-family homebuilders in the southeastern U.S., to Monomoy Capital Partners.
• Assisted in advising IT Solutions Consulting, LLC, a leading managed service provider serving commercial firms, professional institutions, and nonprofit organizations, in its acquisition of The Network Pro, a West Coast-based IT and security service provider, and its acquisition of Spade Technology, an award-winning provider of IT services for the greater Boston area.
• Assisted in advising Nautic Partners, a middle-market private equity firm, on its investment of IT Solutions Consulting, Inc., a Pennsylvania-based managed information technology service provider servicing commercial clients throughout the Northeast.
• Led the representation of IT Solutions Consulting, Inc., a portfolio company of Nautic Partners, in its acquisition of 100% of the ownership interest of CHIPS Technology Consulting Group, LLC.
• Assisted in the representation of Textron Aviation Inc., a subsidiary of Textron Inc., which provides airborne solutions for government, military, and commercial customers, in the acquisition of Mistequay Group, Ltd.
• Assisted in the representation of Millstone Medical Outsourcing and its majority owner Schooner Capital in the sale of Millstone to Arlington Capital Partners, a Washington, D.C.-based private equity firm.

• The Best Lawyers in America®, Ones to Watch, Corporate Law (2024-2026), Mergers and Acquisitions Law (2024-2026)